Samurai Forever
by TheChosenOne1824
Summary: Power Rangers Samurai (Based on TV Show By Saban) Jayden learns what it means to be leader, and also learns about the history of the Samurai. Enjoy. :)
1. The Beginning

Samurai Forever

The Beginning

Fire burned all around. I tried to find my way through the smoke and flames. I wasn't sure how I got in a burning building, but I knew I needed to get out as soon as possible. The smoke was thick, and it made my eyes water. I cut through room after room. I ducked under fallen debris and jumped over others, until I finally saw an exit. However, through all the smoke, I managed to see someone crawling away in the distance.

"Wait!" I cried as I tried to rush over to them.

They attempted to push themselves up to their knees, only to fall back down. I ran over to the now collapsed body. I rolled the person over on their back, only to be hit with a mixture of emotions.

"Dad," I choked back tears, "I thought you were dead!"

"Never," he barely could choke out as he pointed to my chest with a smile, "I've always been right here. And I will never leave. Now get out there and lead your team."

"Not without you," I yelled back in frustration at his stubborn attitude as tears stung my eyes.

He never realized that he was my role model. The man that I only wished I could become half of. He always knew how to get his team out of every situation. I know he would be proud of me. I just wished I could hear those words escape his mouth.

He never spoke another word. He smiled his final smile, and laid his head down on the floor. I barely noticed a few people rush in and grab my arms, and two of the people grabbed my father's now dead body. We all headed to the door. It was daylight. It was bright. They were taking me right towards it. As we passed into the sunlight, I felt my consciousness leave me. I didn't have the strength to go on.

-Forever-

Jayden sat up in bed soaked in a layer of sweat. He always seemed to have the same dream. It wasn't always exactly the same, but it usually ended up with his father dying in his arms, but still telling him to lead his team into battle. He was torn by the dreams. He knew it wouldn't happen; his father had been dead for almost 15 years. He had died in his team's final battle, to ensure victory. And yet, as Jayden thought back, he still had the ability to put his Ranger duty above that of his life.

He hoped that he could live up to his father's name. To be able to lead his team against the Nighlok and eventually help defeat their evil leader once and for all, Master Xandred.

His father had died in the most recent attempt to seal Master Xandred in the Netherworld. The time for Jayden to call upon his own team to lead would come soon, and he would have his shot at living and hopefully surpassing his father. He knew his father would be proud of him either way. As long as he was a good, strong leader, and put the needs of others and the world above his own. He knew he had to, his father wouldn't expect any less, and neither should he.

He stepped into the bathroom to wash off some of the sweat off of his face and maybe clear his mind.

He looked up into the mirror. He had been in quite a few fights already. He mostly had to fight Moogers, the foot soldiers of the Nighlok army. They weren't too much of a challenge. Occasionally they would sneak an attack in. He had a few scars on his face and upper body. His Ranger suit provided enough protection, but there was always the occasional fight where he would try and beat the Moogers without his suit. He paid for it, but he always seemed to win and improve his ability to survive and fight.

He was about to lay back down in bed, when he heard a familiar voice call from down the hall.

"Jayden!" the voice echoed down the hall.

"Coming", Jayden called back.

It was the same routine every day. Wake up. Eat breakfast. Talk about the training schedule for the day. Then train until lunch. Have a quick lunch. Then train either symbol powers, or learn about the team that would be joining him. All while hoping that an attack wouldn't interrupt his day.

He entered the kitchen and saw the now father figure in his life, Mentor Ji.

Ji stepped up as the primary father figure after Jayden's father passed away. Jayden's father, Thomas, had told Ji before his last battle that if something were to happen to him, Ji would need to continue to train Jayden. And prepare him to be the leader of the next generation.

Ji had always thought of Jayden as his son, even though he was only his adopted son. He had taught Jayden as much as he possibly could. Teaching him how to fight, and tap into his symbol power. He taught him how to use the ancient Samurai morphing power. He also taught him the points of leading his team, how every decision needed to be thought of, but they needed to be made quickly. That as leader, you can't ask your team to do something that you are not willing to do yourself, and that their safety and well-being are in direct result of your choices and actions.

Jayden had mastered all sword fighting techniques, and while he knew a lot about symbol power, he hadn't mastered every single symbol. He had a very good understanding of how to lead his team, mostly from learning from books Ji had on his father's time as team leader. He had also studied up on his team that would be soon joining him. He knew of their training habits, where they would need to improve, and areas where some had already mastered.

Just as he was finishing up with breakfast and was heading out to the training mats, the Gap Sensor sounded.

"Be safe Jayden," Ji called to him as he ran out the door.

"Always," Jayden flashed a smile back as he ran out of the yard, morphing into the Red Samurai Power Ranger.


	2. The Beginning, Of the Beginning

_Author Notes: Power Rangers Samurai Belongs To Saban. This my own litlle creation and spin off. Please, feel free to read and review. Enjoy. :)_

Samurai Forever

The Beginning, Of the Beginning

Jayden sat on his father's lap, barely over 6 years old, listening to a story his father was telling him. It was of the old Samurai, the very first. The story was of how they first battled the evil Master Xandred.

"They were the only five to stand up to him that day," Thomas explained to his son, "They were samurai warriors, the very best. They went out to fight Xandred, just as he was about to enter the city."

"Did they win?" Jayden asked.

"Not their first time," Thomas said, "Xandred was tough. He didn't end it there, but he beat them up pretty badly. He laughed at their attempts to stand up and fight. Just as he was about to end the fight though, he was blasted back by 5 glowing kanji symbols. Can u guess what those were?"

"The Rangers Symbols?"

"That's right. Only they weren't cast from any power rangers, they were cast from five creatures: the lion, the dragon, the bear, the turtle, and the ape. They had changed into the Zords that we now use today. They had used the powers bestowed on them to attack."

Jayden played around with his father's lion folding zord, smiling at the little creature.

"A mysterious figure then appeared to the five warriors lying on the ground. He told them that because of their bravery, he would bestow upon them, power that had never been seen before. Power that was of the Ancients. They would be the defenders of the innocent, but they would have power that was as infinite as the stars. They could call upon the five elements: fire, water, earth, air, and forest. They would be given a new set of armor. They would have to take up their new powers until they defeated the evil Xandred. They accepted their duty, and they created the Netherworld, and sealed Xandred in it."

Thomas finished up reading his story and looked down at his son, who was fast asleep.

"Good night," Thomas smiled as he stood up, and placed the lion zord by his son, "My little red ranger."

And with that, he raced out of the house, for the last time.

Forever

Jayden stood across the plaza from a Nighlok. The Nighlok he had been facing recently weren't very tough, only enough to frighten people. This Nighlok, however, seemed to possess a certain amount of loyalty and strategy about him. The Moogers were actually flanking him, and the Nighlok seemed to be happy with the way things were turning out. He shouted his last commands to his Moogers, and took off in the opposite direction. Jayden looked at all the Moogers around him, and started attacking.

He loved to fight Moogers, they weren't very well trained. They were just so numerous that Jayden was usually tired out by the time he got to the Nighlok. Even in a tired state though, the Nighlok usually were defeated without much effort on his end.

The Moogers this time however, were very organized in their attack. They were in their own little groups, with each group having a specific task. He noticed some Moogers forming on the balcony above him with bows and arrows at the ready. There were 20 or so formed up ready to take him head on. And the final group were setting up behind the first wave ready to take him on if the first wave failed.

Jayden smiled at their display, they were getting smarter, but as they grew smarter and stronger, so did he. He pulled out his Spin Sword, and started attacking the first wave of Moogers. They were very determined, but each one fell with each slash of his sword. It was good training, he had to admit.

He was about to finish off the last few, when he heard one of the Moogers behind him. He summoned up his lion disk, and performed his finisher with his spin sword.

"Blazing Strike!" he yelled as he swung his now energized sword and a wave of fire engulfed the archers.

The second wave of Moogers rushed him and he decided to have a little fun with this group. He drew his fire symbol and instantly his spin sword became the more powerful zanbato, The Firesmasher. He felt all his symbol power rushing to the blade of the giant sword, and with a great swing, he blasted all of the remaining Moogers, clearing the way for him to reach the Nighlok.

He ran and ducked through buildings and crowds of people running and screaming. He knew he was approaching his target. He ran to the parking lot of the mall, and saw him slice his sword across a police officer's chest. Rage boiled up inside of Jayden as he drew as much Symbol Power as he could muster, and he swung his Firesmasher at the Nighlok.

The Nighlok turned to look at the Red Ranger just in time for the fire to engulf his body. The Nighlok screamed and rolled around on the ground in pain, until he finally exploded.

Jayden saw the officer lying on the ground, and hollered to a couple of bystanders to call an ambulance. Jayden rolled the man onto his back, and looked at the cut. It was a deep gash, and he was thankful it wasn't life threatening, but if he didn't get to the hospital soon, he wouldn't have any blood left. So Jayden summoned up a bandage and carefully wrapped the man's chest as best as he could. Jayden looked at the man's face and was surprised to see the man smiling at him.

"Your father would be proud," the man stammered out.

"Yes, yes he would," Jayden smiled back through his helmet, wondering who this man was.

Before he could ask, the ambulance came screaming around the corner, and Jayden took this as his queue to head on back to the Shiba House to get his injuries checked out.

Jayden turned around before he was out of sight to look back and saw a few police officers and bystanders saluting and waving to him. He knew he couldn't prevent damages and deaths in the city, but it was nice to see that some people understood that and were on his side. He just hated that so many were injured and he wasn't there to prevent it.

He passed through the gates at the bottom of the drive that lead home, he let out a long sigh. He had quite a few injuries on him, he could feel them. The time for battling the Nighlok on his own was ending, his team awaited his calling. He just hated putting them in danger so soon. It was for the best though. He de-morphed as he continued his walk, certain to discuss the next few days with Ji. But for now, his injuries needed attended to.


	3. Still in the Beginning

_Author's Note: Power Rangers Samurai Belongs to Saban. This is my own little spin off and creation. Enjoy. _

_Also, sorry this chapter took so long to post. I was dealing with some personal issues. But here it is. Enjoy. _

Samurai Forever

Still In the Beginning

"Ji," Thomas said, "You have to promise me that you will look after him. He is the one to lead his team. He must be ready, for when the time comes. No mistakes."

Ji looked to Thomas with a serious look on his face. He practically grew up with this man. He was their Mentor, but just as much as he had taught them, they had taught him. They were his family. He would do anything for them.

"Tom," Ji said with a heavy heart, "I will raise Jayden as though he were my own son. And he will come to learn his responsibility. We will not fail you."

"Thank you," Thomas replied, "And tell him, that I will always love him. And that it is for him, I made this decision."

"I will," Ji said.

Thomas nodded his head, and proceeded into his son's room, to read him a final goodnight story.

Ji looked to the now closed door with sadness, he knew that someday, this choice could be made, but it still saddened him greatly. He had never known what it was like to say goodbye to a child, he had always grown up in the samurai way. His father had taught all of his children how to be a mentor to the samurai. Ji had surpassed his brothers and sisters, and was chosen by his father. But Ji was older now, and he didn't have time for a family. His brothers and sisters had all ran off to start families, and his father had gone off to spend the rest of his time resting and relaxing. But if saying goodbye to a child felt anything like saying goodbye to a sibling, Ji knew how hard that had been.

Ji straightened himself back out though. This fight was to be the last one this team of Samurai would face, so he would need medical supplies lined up.

Just then, Brandon, the blue Samurai Ranger, walked in with a serious look on his face.

"It's time," he said.

"Thomas was just saying good-bye to Jayden," Ji replied in a saddened tone.

"Alright," Brandon replied back, "We will go and see what we can do until he gets there."

"Just be careful," Ji replied.

Brandon looked back at Ji with the serious look he always had.

"Of course," Brandon nodded as he turned to look at his team, "Let's give this battle all we have, for Thomas, Semper Fortis."

The other Rangers nodded in response.

Ji looked at his Rangers as they started out the door. He was proud of how far this team had progressed in their training. He had a certain amount of hope that this team would succeed. They had mastered their symbol power and had given this lifestyle their all.

Brandon, the second in command, started out the door first with a strong stature about him. He knew how to step into the role as leader when needed. He always pushed the team to new heights, and forced them into a routine. Most of the team jumped on board with this immediately. There were a few disputes about the training intensity, but Brandon carried an air of authority, and everyone eventually came on board. Ji was proud of Brandon, for being the definition of a Samurai. He was disciplined, excellent with the sword, and symbol power, while also having a strong bond with his dragonzord, and commanding respect of his teammates, and Ji never had to worry about him making a bad decision.

Bryan, the green Samurai Ranger, was the rebel of the group. He constantly argued with Brandon on training techniques, with Brandon usually getting his way. Bryan wasn't very disciplined, causing friction between the blue and green Rangers. Bryan brought the comedy to the team; he was always joking around and finding a way to make everyone laugh. He was slow to catch onto the Samurai lifestyle, and had almost cost the team a battle or two. He eventually got his head screwed on right though, and he progressed drastically, surpassing Brandon in hand-to-hand. The Nighlok never resorted to hand-to-hand combat, so Bryan never got a chance to really show Brandon and Thomas he could hold his own. Bryan finally gave in to Brandon's technique, strengthening his sword fighting and symbol power. Ji felt very comfortable sending the green Ranger into this battle, as proving himself to Brandon was his motivation.

Next was Evelyn, the pink Ranger, who was the one to keep Bryan's anger in check. She was a calming voice to him when he felt himself losing his grasp on things. She tended to have that effect on the Rangers, and occasionally Ji. She was a master at her symbol power, surpassing even Brandon, who tried as hard as he could to best the pink Ranger. She was so graceful it was truly amazing to watch her train, moving from technique to technique as though she was moving with the wind.

Finally, Danielle, the yellow Ranger, walked through the door. She was the strength and voice of the Rangers. Her element was rightfully chosen for her; she stood her ground on her opinions and wouldn't be budged, earning the name 'Rocky' from Bryan. She and Bryan were always butting heads, partially because Bryan would pull the pranks on her and she would return the favor. They were a good team when fighting Nighlok though, with Danielle keeping Bryan in line. Ji would find himself chuckling at the way he would always snap to attention when she walked into the room. He knew their friendship was harmless, as they were both happily married, he just wished the others bonded in that way. The bond between Bryan and Danielle caused their Zords to form a closer bond with each other, which Ji had never heard of, seeing as the Zords were each programmed to be totally independent unless called upon by the red Ranger. He knew the Zords had minds of their own though, so he didn't question it.

He looked out at the Rangers as they morphed and he wondered if they would come back. He always faced that worry whenever they went into battle, but in this battle, this was the big one.

Just as he was about to close the door, he heard shuffling behind him. He turned around just in time to see Thomas rush past him.

He saw tears in the red Rangers eyes, and it hit Ji. Thomas knew this was to be his last battle.

As Thomas rushed from the front yard, Ji sunk to his knees as tears stung his eyes. His best friend was leaving him forever. After few minutes, he felt the ground start to shake as an explosion in the city marked the end of the battle; Ji stood up and brushed himself off, and began to prepare for the return of his Rangers.


	4. Decisions

_Disclaimer/ Author's Note: I don't own Power Rangers or anything Ranger related. They belong to Saban. This is just my own little creation. Enjoy. _

Samurai Forever

Decisions

Jayden walked into the Shiba House with a limp. Running all the way from town was easy; he was so used to the 2 mile run that it didn't faze him. He just did not account for the pain on the side of his leg. Looking down, he noticed he had a fairly large gash in the side of his leg. He checked it out and determined it was from an arrow.

"Damn archers," he muttered as he walked in the door.

Ji noticed the front door close and came walking into the common room, where Jayden had sat down on one of the seats. He looked to Jayden with a curious look on his face, noticing that Jayden did not head to the study to add notes to his journal, as he did after every battle.

"Everything ok Jayden?" Ji asked, "You look as though something is troubling you."

"There was a police officer," Jayden began, "He knew my father; he knew who I was, and my identity was not compromised. How did he know who I was?"

Ji sat for a moment to think this over, he knew that Thomas had had friends outside of the Samurai life; he just wasn't sure who this officer was.

"I'm sure that he was just an old friend of your father's," Ji explained, "If he didn't already go shouting to the public who you really are and where to find you, then I am quite certain he will not cause you any harm."

"Yeah," Jayden gave up trying to figure out who the man was; if the man wanted him to know who he was, he could tell Jayden at a later date.

Ji noticed Jayden's facial expression change from curious to painful. Immediately he jumped up to examine his Ranger.

"Where are your injuries?" Ji asked.

"I took an arrow to the knee it feels like," Jayden started, "And my back feels pretty scratched up, I am not sure if they are cut from blades or from debris."

"Well let's have a look," Ji said as he started his examinations.

He hissed as he looked at Jayden's back. The scars from this battle were immediately visible, but the scars from past battles were also visible, though they had started to heal over. Ji hated seeing Jayden fight on his own; he knew it was up to him to make the decision, but too much more of this and Jayden was going to be overwhelmed.

Ji decided that it was time he stepped up as a mentor and talk to Jayden. His concern was justified; Jayden was like a son to him. He didn't want to have an unnecessary burden, especially when there were four others who were ready and willing to share the burden. He made up his mind, he would convince his red Ranger to call upon his teammates.

"Jayden," Ji started, "These Nighlok are getting stronger and smarter as you can tell. I cannot stress the need to call up your teammates. They have all been training for this all of their lives. They have been waiting for you to summon them. I strongly urge you to lighten the load you already carry. It is not only up to you to completely carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Please consider Jayden."

Jayden wasn't looking at Ji as he talked and bandaged up his injuries, partially because he couldn't look behind him, but also because he had a lot running through his mind. He had to admit that the Nighlok were continuing to become more and more difficult. He could use four others to help to combat the growing odds; he was just fighting the fact that he had to put four other humans in constant danger. His mind was going a hundred miles an hour trying to decide if he could handle that responsibility.

He looked up at his mentor as Ji moved around to look at his knee. He could see the look of concern on his face. He could understand Ji's concern for his safety. The man had practically raised him by himself. He was basically his father. He hated to worry him, but he knew that that worry would multiply. Jayden would have a lot to consider.

"Mentor," Jayden started as Ji finished up the bandages, "I understand the concern you have for my safety. But I have to look out for those four other strangers' safety. They depend on me to keep them safe. I know you believe in me, I just know how I feel about others safety, and I don't want to intentionally endanger people. Please understand my concerns."

"Jayden," Ji smiled as he knelt down to look him right in the eyes, "That was spoken like a true leader. You are considering your choices. I like that. Please, think on it. If you decide by tomorrow, we will take a course of action based on your choice."

"Thank you Mentor," Jayden stood up and bowed to his mentor, "Now if you will excuse me, I am going to add my thoughts on this Nighlok battle in my journal. I also have a lot of thinking to do."

"Of course Jayden," Ji smiled at Jayden, "Good night."

"Good night Mentor," Jayden bowed to Ji before starting off to his room.

Jayden walked into his room, he didn't have a lot in this room; his bed, dresser, bookcase, and desk were all that were in it. He looked around as he let a deep sigh; he had a lot to consider. He knelt down beside his bed and reached under it and pulled out a lockbox. It was a small one, for all that was in it, it was perfect.

He looked down at the box with the fire symbol kanji on it. He pulled the key for it out from around his neck. He unlocked the older styled box and pulled out the contents, a couple pictures and a holographic recording device.

He looked at the pictures with a smile; the first one was a picture of his dad and him. He looked at it for a moment, studying the picture, missing his father greatly. He looked at it trying to imagine what his father would tell him in this situation. He imagined his father would tell him that he needed to lead his team, that this is what he had been training for, and that he didn't need to do this alone. He knew that was the easy choice; that was the one that made the most sense, there weren't too many people that had to make that choice however. He would have to put other people in danger because the Nighlok were outsmarting him, which by extension meant that he would have to train harder. The Samurai Rangers had always assembled as a team. He wouldn't be asking them to join this fight of his own accord. They would have to make sure that they wanted this. The responsibility wouldn't be completely his. Maybe this decision wasn't as hard as he thought.

The longer he thought about it the more sense it made to call on his teammates. He decided to make this decision. He needed the help, and it would finally give him the closure of showing himself that he could be as good a leader as his father.

He looked down at the holographic recording device. He had opened it many times before. It was always the same recording. His father had recorded it shortly before his final battle. Ji had held on to it until he felt Jayden was ready for it. Jayden wouldn't lie; it stirred quite a few emotions for the red Ranger. He hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to his father, but in this way, he didn't really need to. Jayden was thankful for that.

Jayden decided to open it up, seeing as he needed to hear his father's voice to help his decision feel more real and justified.

"One day the great responsibility of being the Red Ranger will fall to you. Remember: protect the world from evil, stand by your allies, and never run from a battle."

Jayden looked at his father's holographic projection. He noticed the seriousness in his father's expression, but also that of his love.

"I have decided it is time to call upon my team," Jayden said, not really expecting anything, but seeing that he needed to voice his opinion, to justify his decision.

He looked up at his father's face for a second, and saw his father's face curl up into a smile, which was something it had never done. He had spoken to it many times before, only to be met with the same expression. This time, however, it seemed like it was going to show him more.

It flickered for a second before coming back with another message.

"Jayden," his father spoke with a soft, loving tone as tears threatened to spill from Jayden's eyes, "I can't express to you at how proud I am of you. You have proven your ability to lead. By unlocking this message, you have proven yourself. Jayden, I love you, and I know that you and your team are destined for greatness. Always keep your team close, because in the end, they are the ones that will always have your back. But never forget who you are and where you come from. You will produce strength in them, and they will return faith in you. But the most important thing, more important than anything else, more important than your duties, more important than Ji, more important than anything else; I will always be with you. And with that, comes the love that I have always carried for you, and if you ever feel lost or you need someone to talk to, just remember my words. I know you have the strength to carry on, it is a part of you, but remember, I love you. Now get out there, and lead your team."

The hologram vanished back into the device, and Jayden knelt down to pick it up. He had tears in his eyes and streaming down his face, but it was a good thing to hear those words come out of his mouth. He needed that, and he was glad that he finally achieved that level. And also that he had heard his father's voice say those three little words he hadn't heard in so long.

He laid his head down on the pillow, and placed the device on his night stand, with the picture of him and his father leaning up against it.

"Goodnight dad," Jayden said as he turned off the light. And within seconds, he was sound asleep.


	5. Never Alone

_Disclaimer: Power Rangers Samurai belongs to Saban. This is just my own little creation. Enjoy. _

Samurai Forever

Never Alone

Jayden stepped out of his room with a sense of direction that he had yet to possess to this date. He wasn't just a red Ranger, he was _the _Red Ranger; and with that title, comes the greatest responsibility he would ever face, leading his team of Power Rangers.

He turned to the kitchen to inform his mentor of this decision, for he would need to know what to prepare for.

"Mentor," Jayden began as he entered the kitchen, "I have thought about the concerns you shared with me last night. You were right; I don't need to do this alone. And it is for this reason I have decided to call upon the rest of my team."

A wave of relief hit Ji as he continued to prepare Jayden's breakfast. He chopped up the last bit of tomatoes and scraped them into the mixing bowl, and turned to Jayden, smiling as he did.

He was not met with a smile in return, however. Jayden wore a very serious look on his face, one that concerned Ji.

"Jayden," Ji said with a tone of worry, "You look extremely serious. Has something happened?"

"No," Jayden replied.

"Well, last night you went to your room in a happy spirit. And you haven't left your room all night."

"Ji, the responsibility I am about to carry will be great. I need this team to be the best that they can be. There will be no slacking off. I need to lead this team with the authority that my father carried. He dedicated his life to being a Samurai Ranger; I won't let his sacrifice go to waste, especially under my command."

Ji noticed a feeling of authority coming from his red Ranger. It astonished Ji; he knew Jayden possessed the ability to lead, he was just seeing him take it to a new height. It worried Ji slightly. He knew that Jayden was still quite young in comparison to past teams, but to see his red Ranger become so serious overnight was still a thing to be concerned about, only because Ji didn't know the cause of the change of heart.

"What has caused this change of heart?" Ji asked.

"It is nothing," Jayden replied as he looked out the window.

"Jayden, I am only concerned for your well-being. Last night you were fine, now this morning you come out with a new outlook. This is a major change in your life, and if you wish for me to be unaware of the cause of it, then I will not bring it up again. As your mentor, however, I wish that you would discuss this with me. I am only afraid that this will over-take your life, and you will lose that bit of happiness that you need as a young man. Please consider this Jayden."

"Of course, Mentor, but I have to do this. I will discuss this with you eventually, but please stick with me. I will continue to consider your words, but this is the decision I have made."

"Then Jayden, I have nothing left to do but to offer my guidance and words, and continue to support you."

"Thank you. When the Nighlok attack again, the team will need to be summoned."

"I will take care of that," Ji stated as the smile returned to his face, "Now eat up, you will need your nutrition."

Jayden sat down and looked to his breakfast. His breakfast was a rather large one today. He noticed that it was well prepared too. Jayden appreciated the gesture, he was just curious as to where it came from.

"This is a big breakfast Mentor," Jayden said.

"Today is a big day," Ji replied as he turned to face his red Ranger, "You have made a big step toward leadership. You have thought a major decision and truly considered every angle that accompanies a decision this large. And you have decided to follow my advice, so this makes me happy to see you not bearing this load alone."

Jayden sat puzzled for a moment.

"This was prepared before I voiced my opinion," he said.

"I was also hungry," Ji smiled as he turned to Jayden.

Jayden couldn't help but crack a smile at this, which in turn made Ji's smile grow. He was happy Jayden could still find a way to smile.

-Forever-

After a long and helpful talk with his mentor, Jayden found he was too full to train. He knew this would happen with the size of the breakfast prepared; he just didn't plan on that much food. He decided to head to his room to study up on his teammates. He would make up for training this evening.

He entered the room and walked over to his desk and pulled out the folder of each of his teammates. Their parents had been sending updates on their progress. He hadn't received an update in a few months; he assumed they were getting more and more into their training routines.

He pulled up the first folder, marked with a blue tab. Kevin, his blue Ranger, was the second in command, and the master of the Water element. His father had been, it only seemed right to bestow that power to Kevin to honor their fathers' friendship. Kevin's father had been a very disciplined Samurai, quickly earning the respect of his teammates. He hoped Kevin carried that stature. Kevin was also entered into competitive swimming; which made Jayden feel surer about Kevin's Symbol Power. He looked at all of Kevin's accomplishments during his training; he saw he was an excellent sword fighter. He was anxious to meet Kevin; Jayden could tell they would get along great.

He set down Kevin's folder and picked up the next one, sporting a green tab. Michael, the green Ranger, was the master of the Forest element. His folder was considerably smaller than Kevin's, which slightly concerned Jayden. He noticed quite a few hospital bills from falling from trees; he at least was trying to get in touch with his element. He also noticed a lot of reports from the high school for getting into fights, one including suspension. Fighting amongst the other members of the Shiba House would not be permitted, but he would give the future green Ranger a talk to ensure this wouldn't happen. He also noticed a few football pictures, showing very impressive records including: tackles, 40 yard dash time, and sacks. Jayden also saw a few mixed martial arts awards. Jayden determined that Michael wasn't the best candidate so far, but he deserved a chance to earn his Ranger suit.

He placed Michael's folder down and grabbed the pink folder. Mia, the pink Ranger, was the master of the Air element. She was raised by her grandmother; the reasoning for this was unknown to Jayden. She works in a daycare; but seeing as there are no kids in the Shiba House, Jayden didn't see the need to include that in her portfolio. He flipped through page after page of school newspapers, where he could see Mia doing really well in school. She knew quite a few different languages, including a very crucial one to her duty, Japanese. Jayden smiled as he finished up Mia's file, seeing a very strong individual from the pink Ranger.

He got to the last folder, holding the yellow Ranger's information. He didn't have a lot of recent information on his yellow Ranger, he assumed because of the intensity of her training, and the distance from the city. He read some of the past inserts to the folder; all stating training is on schedule. He smiled when he read this information, seeing as she had been training almost as long as he had. She worked on a farm, and was very closely linked to her element. She also had a very dedicated mother, so he knew she would be getting the best of training she could get. He looked back at the top of the sheet, at the Ranger that he would count on to help him train the rest of the team. He made sure to remember this name, for it was one he would need to call upon quite a bit. Serena.

Jayden closed the last folder and laid it down on top of the stack of the others. He had reviewed the portfolios many times before, but never with this intensity. He wanted to make sure to be prepared for the arrival of his team. He now knew he had a strong team behind him; he had a lot of work to do, but he did have a strong foundation. And he knew he was no longer alone.


End file.
